The Cincinnati Reds sent eight players out to the Arizona Fall League two weeks ago to begin play over the next six weeks. Several of the Cincinnati Reds prospects are out to a good start in the league, but Chad Wallach may be out to the best among the bunch.
The Arizona Fall Leauge isn’t new for the 24-year-old catcher/first baseman. When he was with the Marlins organization in 2014 the team sent him out there where he really struggled in 58 at-bats, hitting .192/.224/.231. He was traded to the Reds in the offseason, but he had a down season while playing in Daytona in the 2015 season.
The Reds followed along the Marlins plan from the year before and sent him to Arizona for the second straight year. He joined Peoria, but only played in nine games. He managed just hour hits, posting a .133/.212/.167 line in 33 plate appearances.
After missing time with the Pensacola Blue Wahoos in the middle of the summer after breaking a bone in his hand, he returned in the second half to play 36 games down the stretch, hitting .248/.344/.440 in Double-A with 15 walks and 27 strikeouts. To make up for the missed time the Reds sent Chad Wallach to the Arizona Fall League.
Things have gone much better in the early goings this year of the Arizona Fall League for Wallach, who has played exclusively at first base for the Javelinas. Earlier today he smacked a 1st-inning grand slam and later drew a walk as he pushed his line through seven games to .308/.379/.615 with two doubles, two home runs, two walks and six strikeouts.
Other notes
The Reds made a signing out of the Can-Am League yesterday, picking up the Independent League Player of the Year. Art Charles hit .352/.461/.699 with New Jersey, hitting 29 home runs in just 96 games.
The team also signed a 16-year-old out of Mexico. Victor Ruiz has since turned 17 (his birthday was two days after he signed) and has played for the Mexican National Team where he stood out on their under-18 team. He’s already 6′ 2″ and 195 lbs. and is being looked at as a possible catcher or third baseman.